Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Manchester United could have missed out on
Cristiano Ronaldo had they pulled off the signing of Ronaldinho in 2003.

Ronaldo, who ended his six year spell at Old Trafford by completing a world record £80m move to Real Madrid earlier this summer, arrived at United in a £12m transfer from Sporting Lisbon on the eve of the 2003-04 campaign.

The Portuguese winger was immediately handed the number seven shirt vacated by David Beckham, who had left United for Real in a £25m deal that summer, despite being just 17-years-old when he signed for United.

Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho had been earmarked by Ferguson as the box office signing to replace Beckham, however.

But after seeing Barcelona hijack United's attempts to sign the player from Paris St Germain, Ferguson now believes that Ronaldo could have slipped through his fingers had he sealed a deal for Ronaldinho.

Ferguson said: "I thought we'd clinched the deal (for Ronaldinho), but when I flew to Paris to speak with him, the goalposts seemed to have moved somehow.